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Columbia County Sheriff's Deputies today recovered 2 stolen tractors and other property following the service of a search warrant on a property in the 30000 block of Beaver Homes Rd. in the Rainier Area. Deputies also arrested one suspect in relation to the stolen property and two others on drug possession charges.

Deputies developed probable cause to search the property yesterday when a deputy responded to the 68000 block of Holbrook Rd., Rainier to investigate a cold burglary of a rental house. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the suspect, who was later identified as Derek Kelley 40, Rainier had burglarized the residence on several occasions. Building material was stolen during these burglaries.

The investigating deputy proceeded to Beaver Homes Rd., where Kelley is known to be staying and noticed Kelley on a brand new orange tractor, working on the property.

Deputies from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office worked through the night to obtain a search warrant for the property.

Today at 1047 hours, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office--with the assistance of the Rainier Police Department--executed the search warrant. Kelley was found sleeping in a trailer on the property. The stolen building material was recovered, along with the two tractors.

One of the tractors was a excavator stolen from Portland. The second stolen tractor was a brand new, Kioti front loader worth $28,000, which had been reported stolen yesterday from Doetsch Road in Rainier. Both tractors were seized as evidence.

Kelley was taken into custody and transported to the Columbia County Jail. He is currently being charged with Burglary II, Theft II, and Criminal Mischief III. The investigation into the stolen tractors is ongoing and we are anticipating more charges being added to Kelley, who also is the suspect in several other burglary/theft cases pending in the County.

Dennis Cliett, 75, Transient and James Sjong, 62, Transient were also taken into custody on PCS (Methamphetamine) charges, but expected to be released with court appearance dates within 48 hours.